Alumni Profile

Simon Moya-Smith

In 2008 Colorado legislators finally recognized the loss of tens of millions of Indian lives in North America by passing Senate Joint Resolution 08-031, “Remembrance of American Indian Genocide.” Political Science and Ethnic Studies alum Simon Moya-Smith, an Oglalla Sioux, helped make it happen.

Why Ethnic Studies

Careers in Ethnic Studies

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Photos courtesey of Frankee E. Morning, III

Simon Moya-Smith

"After my graduation from CU Denver, I achieved a literary position as a legislative reporter for the 2008 Colorado State Legislature. While a reporter for local newspaper Law Week Colorado, I also volunteered my time as a speechwriter and researcher for Colorado State Senator Suzanne Williams, D‑Aurora, concerning the State's first legislation recognizing the genocide of the American Indians. Senate Joint Resolution 31 passed 22‑12 in the Senate and 59‑4 in the House on May 1, 2008."

"Soon after the legislative season came to an end, and with SJR031 realized, I was hired by the Denver Post as a community journalist, where I can still be found chasing stories today."

Junior Reina-Toc

Middle School Coordinator, Center for Pre-Collegiate and Academic Outreach Programs - University of Colorado Denver

"Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA) consists of students who have dedicated their lives and skills to the advancement of the principles of human rights and to the needs of the Chicano community. MEChA is able to unite in one common purpose: a demand for respect for human dignity and true equality and justice for all members of this society. They struggle to learn and learn to struggle ‑ not for individual gain but to serve our Chicano/Chicana people. Our organization strongly believes in the right to a fair and equal education. Education, we believe, is the key to improving the social and political situation of the Chicano/Chicana community."

Other ethnic studies alumni jobs

Engineering Tech at an Oil and Gas CompanyCirculation Clerk at the libraryBusiness School AdvisorDenver Social ServicesKunsmiller Middle SchoolUCDHSC Alumni RelationsBroker AssociateProgram Assistant

Hewlett PackardLevel 3Admissions OfficeOracleState Social ServicesIndian Health and Family ServicesAdams County School DistrictEast High School

Where your career can go with an ethnic studies degree?

Many of the career opportunities with government agencies and non-profit organizations are in the areas of administration and human services.